Abstract: A fall detection device (10) which comprises two identical housings (11), each containing an identical pressure sensor (12) housed within a suitable recess (13) of the corresponding housing (11). The housings (11) are mounted on a printed circuit (14) using electrical connection pins (15). The two sensors (12) are arranged coaxially head to foot and communicate directly with the ambient air in order to output a measurement of the atmospheric pressure value. The sensors are arranged so as to generate a signal based on the measurements utilized for detecting a fall, and comprise a unit for transmitting the signal to a transmission station as an alarm signal.

Abstract: The office machine comprises a paper roll printer within a chassis (1), with a housing (10) for the paper roll (12), means (4) for driving the roll (12) and a lid (3), for closing the housing (10), upon which the drive means (4) are mounted.

Abstract: In order to facilitate the making of thermal printers for portable payment terminals, for example, a heat sink is made. To this heat sink, there is fixed a print head comprising two protruding features, on which there abuts a pin of a paper feed roller. Furthermore, the assembly formed by the head and the heat sink is fixed to the frame of the printer by two elastic links reacting in different directions and countering the positioning of the roller. The paper feed roller is thus placed flat against the print head, thus giving homogeneous contact between the head and the paper and the efficient positioning of the roller with respect to the print head.

Abstract: A reusable coupling adaptable to the ends of a tube, the coupling including a nipple (2) having a toothed end (7) designed to be inserted into the tube (1), its inside diameter corresponding approximately to the inside diameter of the tube, the nipple having an annular surface external to the tube. A peripheral ferrule (4) is mounted around the tube (1) and imprisons the tube in engagement with the toothed part (7) of the nipple (2). The ferrule (4) includes an inward annulus (5) which fits into a peripheral groove (6) on the surface of the nipple, while a seal (8) is provided within the groove to be contacted by the annulus (5). The ferrule (4) is radially compressible and is immobilized and fixed to the periphery of the tube (1) by a connection assembly made up of two connectable parts (9, 10) mounted around the end of the tube on either side of the ferrule, and which compresses the ferrule after it has been fitted on the tube.

Abstract: Reusable coupling adaptable to the ends of a tube, comprising:

Abstract: An electrical switch assembly includes a member by which a user selects one of a plurality of functions. Operation of the member applies different amounts of pressure to a transducer that has an impedance which changes in response to the applied pressure. An input circuit produces an output voltage which varies in relation to changes in the impedance of the pressure transducer. A voltage comparator compares the output voltage to a plurality of voltage ranges and in response to the voltage comparison, an output driver produces at least one electrical signal that indicates which one of plurality of functions the user has selected.

Abstract: A joystick having an electromagnetic element coupled to a movable stick, with at least a pair of orthogonal coils on an underlying substrate. Alternately, the coils and electromagnetic elements can be reversed. The movement of the stick is detected by the amount of overlap of the electromagnetic element and the coils in each direction. The quality factor of the coil changes as more or less of the coil is overlapped, which can be measured by an electric circuit to determine the direction of movement and the amount of movement of the joystick. The electromagnetic element could be, for instance, a conductive steel plate, or a piece of another metal or of another conductive material, or ferrite particles. The coil could be wound (preferably on air only or, if needed to reach a higher value of inductance, on a magnetic core, provided this is small enough to not hide the effect of the mobile electromagnetic element).

Abstract: A mixing device for the mixing of fluid measuring samples in an NMR measuring device, whereby the measuring device includes a rod (10) which is arranged coaxially to the main field magnet coil of the NMR measuring device to be movable in the axial direction and, on one end, exhibits a piston projecting into the measuring sample and, with the assistance of a drive coil (8) arranged at the end facing away from the measuring sample, is moved in the axial direction when current flows through the drive coil (8), wherein a spring element (7) is provided to move the rod (10) into a rest position when no current flows through the drive coil (8), is characterized by the drive coil (8) being arranged, in an axially movable fashion, in the inhomogeneous region of the magnetic field produced by the main field magnet coil coaxial to the main field magnet coil, the drive coil (8), on one axial end, being rigidly connected to the rod (10) and, on the end facing away from the rod (10), being connected, via the spring element